Pound for Pound, who was better, Calzaghe or De La Hoya?

[Miburo]

Oscar: great skills in his prime, but somewhat of a disaster of a career (coming up short so many times, even if you include fights he was/was supposedly screwed in).

[SugarShanep4p]

oscar....why this is even up for debate is beyond me but

[-Hyperion-]

thats like asking me to pick my favorite child....

[SHB]

oscar....why this is even up for debate is beyond me but

I know. Anyone who doesn't pick Calzaghe is a fool.

[pins0099]

Its tough cus De La Hoya being Americas sweetheart has faced really well known opposition pretty much throughout his career. And some of those fighters he's beat and lets not forget LOST to are headed rightly or wrongly (because they too hail from the land of the free, and have had the same HBO treatment) for the hall of fame, so in that sense its not much of a debate. Oscar wins hands down.

But Calzaghe has faced adversity throughout his career, injuries and the fact that he's Welsh, not being much of draw for the RJJ's and B-hop's of his prime, he's never likely to be considered in this debate. But I'm not sure the story would have been the same if Calzaghe was American because he is an undeniably more skilled boxer and better athlete, and it has to be said, has a WINNERS determination of the likes Oscar will never have now that he's Golden Boys CEO raking it in from his name and promotions alone.

Its always tough comparing a elite European fighters careers with American/Mexican elites as in terms of P4P greatness they get a head start as they get to capture the minds of millions of americans from early on in their career and get handed the better fights to establish themselves a P4P greats.

[Derranged]

DLH. Not much to argue about.

[tyson]

Its tough cus De La Hoya being Americas sweetheart has faced really well known opposition pretty much throughout his career. And some of those fighters he's beat and lets not forget LOST to are headed rightly or wrongly (because they too hail from the land of the free, and have had the same HBO treatment) for the hall of fame, so in that sense its not much of a debate. Oscar wins hands down.

But Calzaghe has faced adversity throughout his career, injuries and the fact that he's Welsh, not being much of draw for the RJJ's and B-hop's of his prime, he's never likely to be considered in this debate. But I'm not sure the story would have been the same if Calzaghe was American because he is an undeniably more skilled boxer and better athlete, and it has to be said, has a WINNERS determination of the likes Oscar will never have now that he's Golden Boys CEO raking it in from his name and promotions alone.

Its always tough comparing a elite European fighters careers with American/Mexican elites as in terms of P4P greatness they get a head start as they get to capture the minds of millions of americans from early on in their career and get handed the better fights to establish themselves a P4P greats.

Holy ****!

This is posting at an advanced level!

You almost made me like Calzaghe for a minute there..

[Technical_Skill]

Oscar was a champion in classes from 130-160, there isnt really much to discuss.

Exactly, De La Hoya was more skilled, fought better fighters, beat better fighters.

And before anyone starts........

no.

Jeff Lacy was never on the same level as pernell whittaker.

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

Its tough cus De La Hoya being Americas sweetheart has faced really well known opposition pretty much throughout his career. And some of those fighters he's beat and lets not forget LOST to are headed rightly or wrongly (because they too hail from the land of the free, and have had the same HBO treatment) for the hall of fame, so in that sense its not much of a debate. Oscar wins hands down.

But Calzaghe has faced adversity throughout his career, injuries and the fact that he's Welsh, not being much of draw for the RJJ's and B-hop's of his prime, he's never likely to be considered in this debate. But I'm not sure the story would have been the same if Calzaghe was American because he is an undeniably more skilled boxer and better athlete, and it has to be said, has a WINNERS determination of the likes Oscar will never have now that he's Golden Boys CEO raking it in from his name and promotions alone.

Its always tough comparing a elite European fighters careers with American/Mexican elites as in terms of P4P greatness they get a head start as they get to capture the minds of millions of americans from early on in their career and get handed the better fights to establish themselves a P4P greats.

Well he wasn't American or Mexican and I don't buy into that by the way. Any Euro fighter, if good enough, can make the transition to the US like many have done from Africa, Australia, Russia ect ect. This notion that European fighter's get shafted is bull****.

Calzaghe has had many oportunities to come to America and make this his home throught his career, he never chose to. Hatton finally made the change against Mayweather and paid for it by getting KO'd. The reality is, European fighter's don't want to risk coming to the US because they know it's the big leagues and they are content to stay put in the fan fair and guaranteed money they are recieving.

Nothing held back Calzaghe, planes go back and forth from Europe to America everyday, he chose to stay in Wales and fight British fighter's. For that, he will lose some credibility to his legacy no matter what people say.

Many fighter's from around the world with much less opportunity than Calzaghe have made great career's. This isn't even an argument.......saying Oscar and Calzaghe in the same sentence is rediculous, Oscar is a legend and a HOF'er, Calzaghe is not.

[Jolly Roger]

Well he wasn't American or Mexican and I don't buy into that by the way. Any Euro fighter, if good enough, can make the transition to the US like many have done from Africa, Australia, Russia ect ect. This notion that European fighter's get shafted is bull****.

Calzaghe has had many oportunities to come to America and make this his home throught his career, he never chose to. Hatton finally made the change against Mayweather and paid for it by getting KO'd. The reality is, European fighter's don't want to risk coming to the US because they know it's the big leagues and they are content to stay put in the fan fair and guaranteed money they are recieving.

Nothing held back Calzaghe, planes go back and forth from Europe to America everyday, he chose to stay in Wales and fight British fighter's. For that, he will lose some credibility to his legacy no matter what people say.

Many fighter's from around the world with much less opportunity than Calzaghe have made great career's. This isn't even an argument.......saying Oscar and Calzaghe in the same sentence is rediculous, Oscar is a legend and a HOF'er, Calzaghe is not.

Maybe if guys like Hopkins didn't back out of fights he would've been a name in the US. It isn't all Calzaghe's fault that he didn't fight well known Americans. Calzaghe just happened to fight in a division dominated by Europeans, and he's looked down on because of it. Personally this whole "come to America" thing is bull****, boxing is an international sport, not an American one. There's plenty of top fighters in little old Europe.